Unleash the S Pen magic on your brand-new phone

Sep 8, 2018 13:01 GMT  ·  By

The first thing that comes to mind when talking about the Samsung Galaxy Note is without a doubt the S Pen, even though as I said repeatedly, battery life is my favorite thing about this phone.

On the Galaxy Note 9, the S Pen has received super-powers and it’s not just an input method that lets you draw or write on the screen.

Nope, starting with this new-generation Note, the S Pen can do so much more, and it’s all thanks to the way Samsung has built the device.

There are three essential parts that make the S Pen such an advanced piece of technology: the supercapacitor, which provides power, the S Pen button, which lets you interact with it, and the Bluetooth module and antenna, which are both completely new and allow for new features.

Thanks to this mix, the S Pen can do much more, including offering support for some new tasks that are exclusive to the Note 9.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 with S Pen

How to configure the S Pen

First and foremost, it’s important to know that the S Pen does serve multiple purposes, but it’s up to each and every one of us how we use it.

For instance, you are allowed to configure even what happens when you down the S Pen button. To do this, head over to the following location on the Galaxy Note 9:

Settings > Advanced Features > S Pen Settings > S Pen Remote The section that we are interested in is simply called Hold Down Pen Button To, so tap it to access its options. In this menu, you can choose from a wide array of options, starting with apps and functions and ending with S Pen features.

For example, you can configure the S Pen button to create a note, launch Bixby, magnify the screen, or open the translator, but at the same time, it can also be used to quickly start a specific app.

Needless to say, you can disable this feature entirely should you want to, though this means that you’re losing one of the top S Pen goodies.

Setting up S Pen actions on the Galaxy Note 9

How to take photos, control YouTube, and use the Gallery

The S Pen can also be used to unlock the device and serve as a pointer, and all settings are placed in the section mentioned above.

But in addition, the S Pen’s Bluetooth support makes it possible to use the little accessory as a remote control for a series of activities.

Taking photos, for instance, can now be done by launching the Camera app and then pressing the S Pen button once. If you press the S Pen button twice, you switch between the rear and the front camera.

Furthermore, the S Pen also supports the Gallery. Launch the app and then use the S Pen’s button to simply browse to the next image. Pressing the same button twice goes back to the previous picture.

On YouTube, the S Pen can be used as a remote control. Open the YouTube app, select a video, and then press the S Pen button once to play and pause. Skipping a video is supported with a double-press.

Most of the activities that are supported by the S Pen are pretty intuitive, and as things are right now, I believe that Samsung may soon add support for even more features. For instant, similar playback capabilities could be enabled for playing videos locally as well, and opening the door for third-party app support at some point in the future would obviously unleash a plethora of new possibilities.

Photo Gallery (6 Images)

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 with S Pen
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 with S PenSetting up S Pen actions on the Galaxy Note 9
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